


The time for duty is not today

by 44_tee_44



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Caring Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Hurt Merlin (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Magic Revealed, Non-Sexual Age Play
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-14
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-12-31 01:33:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21035720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/44_tee_44/pseuds/44_tee_44
Summary: Merlin works himself to the bone, trying to aid Arthur in all ways that he can. This causes him to forget about his own health but Arthur notices and realises how to help.





	The time for duty is not today

Arthur saw it. The way that his shoulders sagged and his back arched, clearly bend through exhaustion with little to help aid his stress. It wasn't that Arthur gave Merlin so many chores that he was unable to complete them, in fact, since noticing the stress that Merlin showed on a daily basis, Arthur had cut down on the number of chores he gave his man servant.

At first he thought it was just a case of the baffoon not taking care of himself due to the work load, but despite the number of jobs decreasing, he still appeared to be getting worse. And it was not just the tiredness that Arthur was noticing, but Merlin was starting to present some weird characteristics when he thought he says not looking. Characteristics no adult should be showing.

It started after the Cedric debacle. Merlin seemed more determined to prove himself to Arthur, as if he believed that it was his incompetence that cause Arthur to hire the mysterious stranger. Though Arthur would never admit it, he knew that it was not the fault of Merlin, but his own. He had been trying to make a point to his man servant that he was to behave in a certain manner, and it passed a point across, but it had back fired terribly.

He definitely passed on the message that Merlin's work was not up to standard, but it has left a guilt on Merlin's conscience, and in turn Arthur's. Merlin had appeared to put himself in the minds set that if he worked hard enough, Arthur would be less of a prat. However, Arthur was just left with a man servant even less compitant than before, and perhaps this is what drew him to notice.

As Arthur started to observe Merlin more closely he started to realise that he was slipping into an almost trance, and it appeared to be happening more often as time went on. It started with simple things like staring off into space and being less aware of his surroundings, to sitting doing nothing for hours without realising or noticing what was going on.

After a few months of this, Arthur had had enough. He had allowed Merlin to wallow in self pity for long enough, it was time he snapped out of it and carried on with his duties like any other servant. Or at least that's what he said to himself until he walked into his chambers to find them empty.

Merlin was nowhere in sight which frustrated Arthur more than ever. He was the crowned prince of Camelot for crying out loud. He deserved respect. He carried a mantra of what he was going to do to the lazy git that was his man servant before quickly shutting it off.

In the corner of the room he heard a whimper. It was so quiet but he still heard it. Approaching the sound slowly, cautious of any danger that could come of it should it be a distraction, he was not prepared for what was presented to him.

Merlin was huddled up in the corner, or at least he thought it was him. It was hard to tell as the face was covered in the brown jacket, attempting to hide the identity of the one in dispear, as if Arthur wouldn't recognise them anywhere.

"Merlin," he whispered, suprising himself with how soft his voice was. The only response he got was the stiffening of the shoulders the figure in front of him showed, revealing that they had only just realised they were in presence of company. "Merlin, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," was the immediate reply back though the figure now comfirmed to be Merlin still his behind his coat, clearly using it as a shield.

"We both know that is a lie Merlin, " Arthur replied, a seriousness added to his voice that was not there before. He had watched his friend suffer for months without answers. No more. This was the time he got what he needed.

"I said I'm fine da-Arthur," he tried to convince, though it was unclear who he was trying to convince more, Arthur or himself.

Arthur heard the slip of the tongue and his mind thought of all the possibilities that it could be. Was Merlin trying to think of another insult but have up part way through. No, this is Merlin we're taking about. When had he ever given up on an insult, no matter how crap they are? Did he get him mixed up with someone else, and if so who. Arthur's pride got in the way of this theory as he tried to think of who could compare to the Prince. That didn't leave many options for him to think of, but he put it on the back burner for now, he wanted, no needed answers.

"Merlin. I'm going to ask you one more time and you will tell me the truth." Arthur raised Merlin's head away from his coat.

It was as if the dams had broken. Sobs racked Merlin's bloody as tears cascaded down his face, like rivers over his cheeks. He was mumbling over and over Arthur unsure what to do as he struggle to make our what his man servant was saying.

That's when he heard it. One word. Two syllables. The answer and reason to everything. 

"Daddy!"

Argue was unsure how to react. He was left to think about all the occurrences over the party few months. All the starting doing nothing, except he wasn't doing nothing was he. He would be biting on his thumb, or was it perhaps sucking on it now he thought more clearly about it. He would hum lullabies and when he did speak it was less put together and similar to that of a three year olds.

How had Arthur been so blind.

It wasn't that Arthur thought anything wrong with the way that Merlin was. He was the Prince, he knew of all different types of people and was taught to except all. Well, all except those with magic. Though, if course he didn't fully believe in that either. Merlin wasn't exactly subtle and with watching him closely over the past few months, Arthur had realised a lot more about his friends than he did so before. 

He didn't hold it against Merlin that he didn't tell him. Sure, it hurt at first, but he saw where he was. After all, only an idiot would tell the son of Uther Pendragon that they were a sorcerer, and though he liked to play the bumbling fool, Merlin was anything but.

Arthur realise that he needed to react and react quickly as Merlin was hyperventilating and it did not seem as though he was under any control. 

"It's okay little one, I'm here," Arthur announced, hoping that he sounded calm and approachable. He considered himself to have done a good job when Merlin the himself into his arms, clearly attempting to gain comfort from his master.

As Arthur held him, he thought of what he needed to do and how best to go around it. He made a plan in his head. First he would give Merlin a bath to try and get out the last of the tension that would likely stop be there after all the crying he had been doing. Then he would give him some food before putting him to bed. It was nearing night anyway and he didn't think it would be wise to leave Merlin to wander through the castle on his own, so he planned on having him stay with him for the night.

With that sorted and Merlin finally calmed down, just resting on him, thumb in mouth, he thought it would be a good idea to get the ball rolling. Merlin, however had other ideas, as he refused to let Arthur stand so that he could call for a servant to draw a bath and get some fruit for them to share.

"Merlin, little one, I need to get up so that I can call someone to draw a bath and get some food." Merlin watched him with untrusting eyes and tightened his grip on the front of Arthur's tunic, clearly presenting his desire to stay with Arthur.

Relenting, knowing this battle was best left behind, Arthur came up with another plan. He picked Merlin up into his arms and rocked him. It had the desired affect as Merlin's eyes started to droop I fronting of him as he fell asleep in his arms with a final breath of "daddy."

Finally being free to move, Arthur place Merlin on the bed before calling over a servant to do his bidding. It was not long before his Chambers was filled with a bath and an assortment of different fruits. No one batted an eyelid at the sleeping servant in the Princess bed, which led Arthur to wonder about what the other servants thought of his and Merlin's relationship. Putting that to the back of his mind, he went to wake merlin. 

"Come on little one, time to wake up so you can have a nice warm bath." Arthur was hoping that his voice was getting better at taking on the calm tone he had seen parents use towards young children. He couldn't quite workout what age Merlin was at, but he thought it could not be more than 3, if that.

"Daddy?" he questioned as he woke up, grinning at the sight of Arthur in front of him, glad to see his master there. A voice in the back of his head was telling him that he shouldn't be acting like this but he didn't care.

"Come on sweet one, let's get you up and into the bath. We can wash away the day that way, then get comfy in bed while we eat. How does that sound?" he questioned, already moving merlin out from the covers and working on his tunic to remove it, Merlin clearly in no state to do it himself.

Merlin just babbled as Arthur undressed him and place him in the bath. It was not until he had been in the water for 5 minutes that it happened. He had been absentmindedly slashing around before he accidentally splashed to hard and water went everywhere, all over Arthur. In a panic he used his magic to do the Prince and his chambers before he realised what he had done and began to panic.

"I'm sorry Daddy. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be bad. I'm sorry!" He repeated this in a mantra as Arthur got back to his senses after the blatent use of magic. When he came back to himself, he held the struggling sorcerer, trying to calm them.

"Its okay little one, it's okay. Daddy's not mad. Daddy will never be mad at you for using your magic. Calm down sweet one, it's okay, calm down." Argue held Merlin as he tried to reassure him that it was okay and that he was safe. He was horrified at the image in front of him. It's this what it was like for all sorcerers under his father's rule. It was horrific. He couldn't help but feel his heart turn cold towards his father as he held his best friend in his arms.

As Merlin calmdd down to a repetition of "Its ok, daddy's here, daddy isn't mad, " it became apparent that he was going to fall asleep. As Arthur carried him out of the bath and to his bed, he dressed him in one of the Prince's tunics, believing it to be much shofter than anything his servant will have every felt, but that he disserved it after a night like tonight. As he fed him fruit from the bowl left by the servants, he spoke sweet messages into Merlin's hair before getting them both ready and under the covers, he made sure to remind Merlin that he would look after him no matter what.

Just at he was about to go to sleep he felt Merlin move and turn in his arms. 

"Thank you Arthur." 

"Anytime Merlin."

And though they knew there would be much to talk about the next day, they both fell asleep, happy to savour this time together to find comfort in the other's arms. 


End file.
